I am he and he is me and we are we and we are all together...I am the egg man...uh, no, that's not quite it...hmm....the song is stuck in my head, and I think it's because of me and the main character in the novel I'm writing.

The main character of my novel, Olivia, is very much like me in many ways. Today when I boarded the airplane, I was like her! I will tell you why.

One of the endearing things about Olivia is her way of being oh so sophisticated and very goofy and awkward and girly, all at once. So today as I got on the plane, dressed in my very sexy leather coat-dress and sharp brown leather boots, with my chic new hat (fuchsia, bright!) on my head, I was that sophisticated, stylish Brina/Olivia but do you know what I was carrying? Along with my purse and laptop bag, I was carrying my well loved, slightly misshapen snow leopard stuffed animal.

Sophistication meets goofy girl.

I bring Snow Leopard on every trip. Lately he's been coming on the plane with me, because our airlines have cut out such "extras" as pillows to cushion your head from the bumps. With my chronic neck issues, I absolutely must have a pillow of sorts. Snow Leopard is just right as a neck pillow/bolster.

But I also bring him because he's cuddly and sweet and a necessity.

So here I can see how Olivia and I are so alike. I made her up, or I found her "in the ether," but I am also her, and she is me, and we are we...all together...yes!

You might know that my novel is set out here in northern California, actually in Pacifica, the working-class town south of San Francisco but north of Half Moon Bay. Olivia came to me there, and she lives there, and I write about her, and sometimes I think it really will be a novel.

Olivia or I must've been exuding some major style today because I had the nicest encounter with a very interesting man who works at the airport. They have these guys who work on the Air Train, repairing it and such, because it's always needing repair. To a man, they have always been polite and charming to me. This guy was just getting off work, and needed to ride the Air Train to his car. He waited for the train with me and then rode with me and chatted me up the whole way. You should have seen his dreamy eyes, deep brown with such a soulful way of speaking and listening. We had a great time talking.

I love the manners on some men; he had meticulous manners, and was very respectful. Just a nice little encounter, and it stayed with me all afternoon. I make a big point of praising and encouraging manners in the men, young and old, in my life, and it is true that good manners in a stranger, like this guy, just make me very happy. I wish the world were really like this, that people would get a boost from treating each other well. Kindness, civility, thoughtfulness to strangers. Love one another, the greatest commandment we have. Love one another partly by treating each other with grace and kindness.

I am sleepy, can you tell? I am having dinner soon so have to stay awake!